Cannabis Industry Spent Over $7 Million Lobbying Colorado's Legislature in 12 Years
The cannabis industry spent over $7 million lobbying the Colorado state legislature from 2010-2021, with 11% from out-of-state clients and 48% of lobbyist reports not disclosing their funder's cannabis affiliation.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis industry spent $7M+ (inflation-adjusted) lobbying on 367 bills. 11% ($800K+) came from out-of-state clients. In 48% of reports, lobbyists did not disclose their funder's cannabis connection. Some lobbyists simultaneously represented alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis industries.
Key Numbers
$7M+ total lobbying (inflation-adjusted). 367 bills lobbied. $800K+ (11%) from out-of-state. 48% of reports did not disclose cannabis affiliation. Lobbyists represented alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis concurrently.
How They Did This
Retrospective analysis of publicly available Colorado lobbying expenditure data from FY 2010-2021. Supplemented with business license documentation, legislative histories, and public testimony. Inflation-adjusted expenditures tracked by funder, lobbyist, and origin.
Why This Research Matters
As cannabis becomes a major industry, understanding its political influence is essential for public health. The lack of disclosure transparency and cross-industry lobbying relationships raise concerns about whether cannabis regulation prioritizes public health or industry profits.
The Bigger Picture
The parallels to tobacco and alcohol industry lobbying are striking. The finding that lobbyists simultaneously represented all three industries suggests potential coordination to create favorable regulatory environments across addictive substances.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Colorado-specific findings may not generalize to other states. Lobbying expenditure data captures only formal lobbying, not other forms of political influence. The study could not directly measure the impact of lobbying on legislative outcomes.
Questions This Raises
- ?How does cannabis lobbying spending compare across states?
- ?Has industry lobbying measurably weakened public health protections?
- ?Should cross-industry lobbying relationships be disclosed and regulated?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 48% of lobbying reports did not disclose cannabis industry affiliation
- Evidence Grade:
- Moderate: systematic analysis of public records over 12 years, though limited to formal lobbying data in one state.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022, covering FY 2010-2021.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis industry lobbying in the Colorado state legislature in fiscal years 2010-2021.
- Published In:
- The International journal on drug policy, 102, 103585 (2022)
- Authors:
- Rotering, Thomas, Apollonio, Dorie E(6)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04183
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does the cannabis industry influence legislation?
In Colorado, the industry spent over $7 million lobbying on 367 bills. The lack of transparency (48% not disclosing cannabis ties) and cross-industry lobbying with alcohol and tobacco suggest significant efforts to shape favorable regulations.
Why does it matter that lobbyists represent multiple industries?
When the same lobbyists represent cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco industries, they may coordinate strategies to weaken regulations across all three. This raises concerns about whether public health considerations are adequately represented.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04183APA
Rotering, Thomas; Apollonio, Dorie E. (2022). Cannabis industry lobbying in the Colorado state legislature in fiscal years 2010-2021.. The International journal on drug policy, 102, 103585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103585
MLA
Rotering, Thomas, et al. "Cannabis industry lobbying in the Colorado state legislature in fiscal years 2010-2021.." The International journal on drug policy, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103585
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis industry lobbying in the Colorado state legislature..." RTHC-04183. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/rotering-2022-cannabis-industry-lobbying-in
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.